But first, a quick note of concern and hope that all harp guitar and other friends in Japan, Hawaii, and the Pacific Coast are safe from earthquake (and subsequent tsunami) damage. If anyone has any news of personal disaster for any of our extended community, please let us know!

Anyway, it’s not every day (or even every week) that I check on my backlog of HG material – only when nothing new and easily disseminated has come through the Inbox, or when other topics are stuck in Research Mode (plenty, I assure you).

And I haven’t started a system yet (for instance, Alphabetical?) for wading through the archives – I’ll just stumble onto something I forgot about, usually when looking for something else that I can’t locate!

For instance, I was hunting for something in a “Simmons” folder (that would be Michael, of the Fretboard Journal), and found these photos from Robert Armstrong’s vaults (Michael had apparently requested scans for us, and kindly forwarded them along). Robert (of Mickey Rat fame and painted ukuleles and so many other wonderful and colorful things) is someone I have yet to meet, though he’s been a friend to the site and made occasional contributions of material to Harpguitars.net over the years.

Here are some additional random finds of his from a couple years ago:

A typically colorful Austrian band with wappen-shaped harp guitar and some zithers

A nice candid shot of an all-Gibson group. Surely they are father and sons – the resemblances!
The scroll bridge U is the later c.1908 10-bass model.

I could have sworn I’d seen this unusual double-neck with reverse-Staufer mirrored headstocks, and when I found it in the Galleries (2a), it sent me to Iconography and a postcard of the very same gentleman! Any thoughts as to the country (instrument or players?)

And finally,here’s a gorgeous photo of a lovely wappen-HG player.

Thanks Robert and Michael! What else ya’ got for us?

March 11th, 2011

3 comments so far

Hiro-Moheji Says:
March 12th, 2011 at 5:50 am

Hello Mr.Gregg-san. I’m OK!
Also my Japanese friends are in the safe. Friends of HGG7 gave me a lot of messages. I am feeling the thankfulness for the friends. Thank you very much! Sincerely
Hirokatsu

Gregg Says:
March 12th, 2011 at 7:55 pm

Thanks, Hiro – we are all relieved!
Tim Donahue wrote that his place is safe way up in the mountains – but he was in the city for a meeting when it hit.
Took him 6 hours to get out, what with the mass exodus (which continues). He had amazing things to say about the Japanese people – a million citizens on the move, but all calm and orderly. I can’t picture it – I’d like to think L.A. could be similar, but let’s face it – we’d be wailing and screaming and fighting and stealing flat screen T.V.s from already devastated merchants.
Certainly not all, but too many.
Thanks, Japan, for showing the world your courage and humanity. We ache for your losses.

Steve Farmer Says:
March 12th, 2011 at 7:58 pm

The Style U is very close to mine. (For some reason, I guess because I don’t know the history, I compare each photo of a U that I see to mine hoping to find a match… No match here. Better luck next time, I supose.)

It’s great to hear that you’re okay, Hirokatsu. Our hearts go out to your country and people.

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